


Dance with Me

by paperplanesx



Series: Happy MiHyo Day [2]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Ballroom Dancing, F/F, Soulmate AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 11:26:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21848881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperplanesx/pseuds/paperplanesx
Summary: MiHyo Soulmates AU where their matching tattoos/marks goes through different stages that represents their bond/connection with one another, along with some pretty little things they'll eventually notice.
Relationships: Chou Tzuyu/Son Chaeyoung, Hirai Momo/Im Nayeon, Myoui Mina/Park Jisoo | Jihyo
Series: Happy MiHyo Day [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1573993
Comments: 4
Kudos: 101





	Dance with Me

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy reading this one as much as I love writing it. Honestly, it took a few MiHyo breakdowns before doing some of the parts lol. The inspiration to this wonderful piece is from @jeongmisahyo on twitter. I saw their MiHyo artwork a while back and the dancer in me has been awakened. You should check out their art! 
> 
> If there are grammatical and/or spelling errors, I apologize in advance hehe.
> 
> Anyway, have fun reading!

If Mina were being honest, she never liked staying in after school hours. She prefers staying in her dorm and being productive there, where she can be alone for a while before her roommate comes back from whatever she’s doing at this time. But there’s something about today that convinced her to stay for a little while. Like her subconscious tells her to  _ roam around, you might find something worth your while _ . 

And so she did, ending up in an empty hallway of the main building after her dismissal at 5:30 PM. 

Mina realized that if this wasn’t overcrowded every day, she might have adored the simplicity and the nostalgic feeling of walking through the hallway. It’s been a while since she had her classes in the main building, reminding her of her days as a freshman. Eyes full of hope before entering class, and leaving the room with new knowledge ingrained in her pretty little mind. She missed that feeling of eagerness—motivated to go to school and all of that. Guess the university does uphold its reputation of crushing the dreams of the hopeful in order to meet the academic standard.

She heaved a sigh as she continued to walk, trying to forget that dreaded feeling. But the thoughts are pushed aside when she hears faint music playing near the gymnasium. The notes of the music sound familiar, almost scheming with how it’s been played. Curious, Mina went to search for the source of the music. Taking a right turn from the hallway, she sees the door slightly ajar. Pulling it open, her eyes then fall upon a woman striding around the gymnasium floor. Her arms are raised in a fixed position, as if she were imagining she’s holding her partner. The moves she exhibited are sharp, then turned slowly, sneaking as she continued to dance in time with the music.

Then in one quick moment, Mina noticed how the dancer hesitated in doing a quick turn. She looked like she’s contemplating on what to do, but then she stopped and paused the music, making the gym sound empty once again. Mina hides behind the bleachers, trying to ignore the sudden erratic beats of her heart as she heard someone call out to the dancer.

“Jihyo-yah! We don’t have practice today, let’s go home.”

Hearing the name, she feels a gentle tug in her chest—a name she heard for the first time but it’s comforting in a weird sense. Mina turned around and went to the entrance doors, holding on to that tingle beneath her ribs. 

_ Jihyo Jihyo Jihyo Jihyo _ —

“Jihyo,” It’s the first thing that comes out of her lips by the time she arrives in her dorm room, the feeling never left. And it’ll be the last thing on her mind before she sleeps, not noticing a small mark starting to form on her wrist.

**...**

_ Somewhere, someone is restless over the thought of a black-haired beauty that she never got to know her name _

**...**

Mina watched Jihyo dance from afar for the next couple of days. She hoped no one would notice she would tend to stay out late after class, or else they might ruin this little thing only she has. How could she even explain how Jihyo got her attention just by dancing all alone in the middle of the gym?

However, she picked up a thing or two about her thanks to a few friends. Jihyo’s a ballroom dancer and she’s a part of the dancesport club along with the school’s popular girls, Im Nayeon and Yoo Jeongyeon. They always have practice every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. But Mina never got to differentiate what they dance because she only sees Jihyo after her class, and practice would’ve ended already. 

This time, Jihyo’s routine is more fast paced compared to what she saw the other day. She circles the floor, taking step after step in time with the upbeat music. Mina couldn’t help but to admire how Jihyo gracefully strides around the gymnasium floor, her eyes never leaving her. 

Unconsciously, Mina somehow predicts the tempo of every move Jihyo makes whenever she starts her routine. Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow...

Mina blinked. How did she know when she could barely know the basics of what Jihyo does

Before Mina could comprehend the mental gymnastics of that thought process, she sees someone approaching near the benches. Groaning internally, she had to take one quick look again at Jihyo before leaving, not even once glancing at her wrist as another part of her mark branches out, forming another shape. 

…

_ Staring at the ceiling, the woman huffed as she looked over her wrist with faded marks. One human arm and one human leg. The arm is raised over an empty space that’s assumed to be a head, and the leg is somewhat in a crossed position. What could it mean? _

…

“Ballroom?” Mina raised a brow at Momo.

“You might think it’s something that old people do on Sundays but it’s not. Ballroom is pretty competitive, if you ask me.” Momo explained while taking a bite of her pork dumplings.

“Dancesport is a more common term to them," Chaeyoung, the recent addition to their friendship circle, said. “But as Momo-unnie said, it's pretty competitive if you decided to watch the annual competition held here.”

The three of them used to have the same general education class a year ago, and the two Japanese girls quickly befriended the timid, little Chaeyoung. They became really close afterwards.

Mina shrugs. “I haven’t seen it up close, I guess.” 

“The dancesport club has a performance later! You should watch it with us.”

A moment of hesitation. “Momoring—”

The older girl pouts, giving Mina the baby eyes she knew she couldn’t resist. And so Mina lets out a sigh, giving in to her friend’s request. “I guess we could…”

Momo raised her fist in victory. Even though she wouldn’t say it out loud, she liked spending time with Momo because she effortlessly brings out the free spirit in her. They go to many adventures that Mina almost lost count, thinking about their years of friendship. 

“You'll enjoy the performance as much as Chaengie does.” Momo said in a teasing tone, earning a glare from the youngest.

Chaeyoung made a face. “I don't.”

“Tzuyu will be there.”

“Nayeon will be there as well.”

“I’m watching them because they’re good.”

“Nayeon is one of the stars of the club.”

A pause. “I hate you.”

Mina lets out a hearty laugh, amused at the harmless bickering between her two friends. Now that she couldn't reject Momo's plea, it might be a good opportunity to see if Jihyo's there.

It’s a silly thought but she could hope, right?

Hours later, impatient as she is, Mina drummed her fingers against her desk while her eyes watched the wall clock.  _ 5:25 PM _ . According to Momo and the poster she saw earlier, the varsity teams are going to perform at the auditorium as a sendoff before their season starts and they have a timestamp for every team. The dancesport club is scheduled at 5:30, which means they’re about to go on stage in five minutes. She could actually leave early without informing her professor and dash to the auditorium, which is about a few steps away from the building she’s in. 

And so she did. 

Slinging her bag over her shoulders, Mina discreetly leaves the lecture room before bolting out the moment she closes the door behind her. Looking at her wrist watch, it’s already 5:28 PM. Muttering a curse under her breath, Mina did her best to ignore the burning sensation in her lower legs as she eyes the building that leads to the auditorium, the building that leads to the auditorium. She feels her phone vibrating in her pocket, which could only mean that Momo might be telling her that the dancesport club is about to start. Luckily, she’s by the entrance of the auditorium when her phone vibrated. However, a guard halts her, requesting for her ID card and ticket before she could proceed, which leads to more muttered curses while pulling out the requested items from her bag.

By the time she entered the auditorium, she heard the announcer say “We present to you, JYPU’s Dancesport Society!” 

Mina lets out a sigh of relief, pulling out her phone to see Momo and Chaeyoung sending her multiple texts. 

_ Momoring: Mitang where are you~ _

_ Chaengie: There’s a technical difficulty so you could breathe for a moment _

_ Chaengie: ...pls dont tell me youre flying all the way from the math building _

_ Momoring: I think she is Chaeng _

_ Chaengie: Unnie, don’t be mad but I actually imagined you waddling from math to here _

_ Momoring: We’re seated in the front row. A-15 to A-17. _

Mina briskly walked in the aisle until she reached the front row, uttering soft apologies to those who are already seated until she reached the seat in between Momo and Chaeyoung, who cleverly placed their bags on to an empty seat in between them so no one would claim it before Mina arrives. 

“So, did you waddle?” is the first thing she heard from her friends the moment she took a seat.

All they received in reply was a slap on their arm before they focused on the stage. They recognized some familiar faces on stage. Nayeon and Jeongyeon were paired up, easily recognized by the crowd as well as Tzuyu, who became the darling of the crowd ever since she transferred to JYP University a year ago. She’s paired up with Dahyun, who’s arguably one of the best Latin dancers in the country. 

Then there she is, standing tall and proud at the center of the stage along with her partner, Minatozaki Sana. All of them were wearing similar outfits, with the ladies wearing velvet purple dresses while the leads wore black shirts that were semi-transparent with the neckline forming a v-shape, along with a pair of black trousers (Momo explained the basics earlier). Jihyo is wearing one.

For the love of God, Mina felt like the air had been sucked out of her lungs. She  _ never _ thought Jihyo would be  _ this  _ attractive up close. 

As the music played, Jihyo had this upright posture as she held Sana, preparing themselves and waiting for the right timing to start the dance. Then the dancers, on cue, form a circle and do the steps in sync. Mina's eyes never leave Jihyo, as everyone else on stage continues to dance according to their routine. 

She noticed something again. It’s bizarre that she can’t even figure out the routine they’re doing compared to the times she watched her in the gym. She made an attempt to predict the tempo but it’s as if her train of thought is blocked no matter how hard she tries. 

“Tzuyu’s really great,” Mina heard Chaeyoung’s comment. “Despite being the tallest in the group, that is.”

A small smile tugs her lips. She knows her friend a lot more than she thought. “She's really pretty, you know.” Mina said, briefly looking at Tzuyu. “Have you tried asking her out yet?”

Chaeyoung clears her throat. “She would barely notice a nobody like me.”

Mina gently pats the top of her head. “Well you did get noticed by us, that’s something, right?”

She could see the faint blush in the younger girl’s cheeks despite the dimly lit setting of the auditorium. Though Chaeyoung wouldn’t say it out loud, she does like Tzuyu  _ that _ much. According to her, she met Tzuyu in literature class. The girl was just quiet and timid back then, and didn't speak Korean that much because she came from Taiwan. Thankfully, Chaeyoung knows a bit of Mandarin thanks to her Chinese 10 class she took the previous semester which really made Tzuyu sigh in relief, happy to have found someone who knows her mother tongue, even if it’s a bit broken. They quickly become close after their first meeting. However, Chaeyoung is just afraid she might push Tzuyu away if she ever confesses, considering the latter’s popularity around the campus is rising. 

“It wouldn’t hurt to try,” Mina urged. “The best advantage you have is the two of you are close.”

Chaeyoung chuckles softly, the bracelet she wears goes down further her wrist and Mina could see a visible mark (around the radial part of her wrist, if she remembers her anatomy correctly), which has two triangular shapes in it already. 

With this whole soulmate thing, Mina notices that the mark develops over time. It's never instant. There's a lot of information that she doesn't know yet, and she wouldn't want to crush herself over the thought that maybe she hasn't found hers yet.

“If I finally have the guts to do so,” Chaeyoung replied after a moment. “Tzuyu will probably have to wait though.”

Mina and Chaeyoung shared a knowing glance before they turned their attention back on stage, where the tempo of the music became a little slower. 

For a brief moment, after a turn made by the dancers, Mina feels a magnetic pull that makes her look at Jihyo directly, their eyes meeting each other. Her heart got stuck in her throat in that short amount of time, not fully understanding the emotions that flooded her chest. 

Then Jihyo broke eye contact to continue her performance, and Mina, the life in her disappearing as she watches the performance until the very end. 

… 

_ “Ji, you look lost for a moment there. Are you okay?” _

_ Silence. _

_ “Ji?” _

_ “Nerves. Just nerves.”  _

_ She wouldn't tell a certain black-haired beauty took her breath away in the middle of a crucial part of the routine. Not yet. _

…

From what Jihyo gathered, the woman’s name is Myoui Mina. Third year Biology student, but takes many extra classes according to Nayeon, who happened to be taking philosophy with her this semester. She’s also friends with Momo and Chaeyoung, who happened to be the subjects of the attention of her two friends. Dahyun’s buried in her calculus textbook, catching up to her studies before practice begins. Sana is probably somewhere else, and no one has an idea where she is. Jeongyeon is pretty much content being the single gay in friendship circle, well at least after getting out of a messy relationship months ago.

It’s practice day today and Nayeon is definitely sulking. Jihyo doesn’t like it.

“I didn’t see Momo today,” The eldest pouts. “She skipped a major class.”

“I can already tell the moment you arrived,” Jihyo rolls her eyes, dragging the fake maknae from her slump state. “Come on you baby, we have practice.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Our season’s near! We need to rehearse.”

“No.”

Jihyo pinched the bridge of her nose. She can’t believe she’s going through this... _ again _ . “I can’t possibly imagine Momo taking a liking to someone as lazy as you.”

“Says the girl who falls in love with her secret admirer.” Nayeon muttered, which made the rest of the dancers let out a collective gasp.

_ “You got her good. Nice one, hag.” _

_ “Do you have popcorn, Jeongyeon-unnie?” _

_ “We could definitely share. I like where this is going.” _

Despite the teasing, Jihyo pretends as if the statement didn’t bother her. “I’m not in love.” She stresses, tidying her practice clothes.

Nayeon snickers. “Coming from someone who wanted to know more about my classmate, you’re not really that subtle.”

Ignoring the comment, Jihyo sets up the music and briefly looks at her wrist once more, the marks still appear faded like the last time she saw it. She can’t tell what it’s supposed to mean, since her friends definitely haven’t met their soulmates yet. Well, at least to her knowledge, that is. 

But there’s something about Mina watching her dance after practice that intrigued her. She can definitely feel those pairs of eyes looking at her during those times, and it was neither awkward nor scary. It’s odd that somehow, she’s comfortable being watched by her. Especially when she came to watch the club’s dance performance.  _ That _ moment, the most. It’s the first time she felt that surreal. Even more so in the middle of her performance.

She could feel herself smiling widely. For once, she looks forward to having a visitor during her lonely hours. 

( _ See? Look at that smile! I told you she’s in love. _ )

( _ Keep it down Im. Jihyo might hear you. _ )

… 

_ During that same afternoon, Mina watches from afar, letting out a soft sigh while her eyes follow Jihyo’s every step. _

_ She could get used to this. _

…

The moment Jihyo approached her just so she could ask to watch her dance up close was the day she wished the ground would open up and just swallow her whole. How could she even say no in front of her face after days of watching her from afar?

More importantly, how can she even watch her again knowing that she rejected her offer in the first place? Jihyo would probably think she’s an idiot for doing so.

“What’s the problem buttercup? Why the long face?” Chaeyoung asked, taking a seat next to her friend and offering a piece of her chocolate bar. Mina accepts it meekly before sinking further in her seat. The two are at one of the university’s open spaces, surrounded by trees that provided them shade from the afternoon sunlight. Their feet settled at the soft ground under them, still amazed on how the school manages to preserve nature in one of the busiest cities in the country. 

“I did something stupid.” Mina mumbled under her off white turtleneck sweater, her hands tucked in the pockets of her coat.

“We all do.” Chaeyoung smiles, wrapping an arm around Mina’s shoulders to pull her closer. “Come on, tell me, it might not be that bad.”

Mina took in a shaky breath. While Momo has proven to be one of the bestest friends she ever has, she never minds Chaeyoung sharing that title as well. Though they never have that much heart-to-heart talks, it’s the little moments that made Mina warm up quickly to the younger girl. Most of the time, it’s Chaeyoung who would have rants about school, social life, and the people who annoy her so much. And Mina would listen with an open mind. Sometimes their conversations would turn from light banter to philosophical questions to kpop comebacks to life advice. She had to admit that keeping up with a conversation is tiring, but Chaeyoung makes things easier for her. 

“Well, there’s this lady…” The Japanese girl’s voice trailed off; way too embarrassed.

“And? Is she pretty?”

Mina’s lips curled up. “Gorgeous. Drop dead gorgeous.”

“Do I know her?”

Mina realized this is the first time she's going to talk about Jihyo, even mentioning her name. Either way, she’s glad she had this conversation with Chaeyoung first. Not that she’s not comfortable with Momo, either of them would’ve been great but it just so happens the younger girl is the one who found her first here.

She clears her throat, trying to ignore the heat rising to her cheeks. “She’s…She’s from Tzuyu’s club. Her name’s Jihyo.”

Chaeyoung grinned like she’s the proudest mom out there. It’s what Mina loves about Chaeyoung. She never judged her for what she shared with her. “When was the first time you saw her?”

“I found her dancing all alone at the gym. Chaeng, I never found someone like her who is even more attractive when she dances.”

Chaeyoung now faces her friend, the smile never leaving her lips. “Have you talked to her yet?”

Mina shakes her head, leaning her head over Chaeyoung’s shoulder as she continues to share. “No. I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Chaeyoung felt the hesitation, the way Mina went stiff for a brief moment before she relaxed. “I might have backed out when she talked to me.” She said, hiding further beneath her coat.

“What did she say?”

“She…She said she noticed how I always watch her when she dances alone, and she told me I should watch her up close. And I chickened out.”

The younger girl hums whilst looking over the open field. “Second chances wouldn’t hurt. Go back there and talk to her.”

“What if she tells me that I’m an idiot?”

“Well, you did make an idiot out of yourself back there.”

“Chae…”

“I’m kidding. There’s no way she would say that to you. Weirded out, yeah. But an idiot? I don’t think so.”

What Chaeyoung says, Mina held onto that hope.

/

Standing by the gym doors, Mina is contemplating whether or not she should do it. A part of her is convincing her to just go inside and greet Jihyo, while the other is saying to wait for another time. Then Chaeyoung’s words played back in her head.

_ Second chances wouldn’t hurt. _

With a gentle push from the door, Mina hears the faint sound of the music playing in the gymnasium. Her eyes landed immediately on Jihyo, who’s just doing random moves while the music continues to play. Walking slowly towards her, Mina could feel her own heart beating so fast with every step she takes. Even if the music is loud, Jihyo turns around by the time the distance between them is less than a meter apart, wordlessly greets her with a smile before turning the volume down from her phone.

Mina’s heart got stuck in her throat at the sight of the most adorable gummy smile she has ever seen. _ God, she will be the death of me. _

“I take it you considered my offer,” Jihyo giggled, reaching out her hand to Mina. “Let’s do this again, shall we? Hi. I’m Park Jihyo.”

Mina accepts the handshake. But she never knew how soft Jihyo’s hands are, considering she’s a very active person. “Hi, Jihyo. I’m Myoui Mina, your visitor at this lonely hour.”

The dancer laughs, which nearly made Mina’s brain go haywire. No sound can be as beautiful compared to the laughter of an angel that is Park Jihyo. She could never understand how there is no tension during their first meeting, despite the fact that she chickened out a day ago when the former approached her all of a sudden.

“Now that I put a name to a face as lovely as yours, I have an idea.” Jihyo gestures for the other girl to come closer—to which Mina did in a heartbeat. “Okay, stay there for a while.” She continued before going back to the speakers, scrolling through her phone before placing it back on top of it. 

Then she approached Mina, with a hint of shyness as she cleared her throat. “May I hold your hand?” Jihyo asks, accompanied with a smile. 

Equally bashful as the other girl, Mina nodded meekly, letting Jihyo hold her hand (and pretend the feeling of the knot in her stomach doesn’t exist). Jihyo raises Mina’s right hand in a palm to palm position, arms slightly bent while her right hand guides Mina’s left hand to her shoulder, then afterwards she rests it on Mina's shoulder blade. 

Jihyo grins. “There. Comfortable?” 

“Um...A little bit odd.” Mina mumbles, hoping her cheeks wouldn’t turn too red just because their faces are close to one another. 

Jihyo chuckles, probably hearing similar statements from the longest time she’s a dancer. “You’ll get used to it.”

“What are we doing exactly?”

“I’m teaching you the basics of ballroom, as you can see in our current position.” She answers, unbothered by the question.

Mina hums. “Lead the way then.”

During the entire time Jihyo teaches her the basics, Mina finds herself staring at her instead of focusing on the task at hand. It’s a good thing the dancer never noticed when they start to learn the steps of the beginner’s choreography of waltz. 

“You learn fast,” Jihyo commented right after they finished the first fifteen steps. “Normally beginners have a hard time with the directions of slow waltz.”

Mina lightly scratches the back of her neck. “I used to do ballet, but I don’t know if that counts...”

Jihyo puts a hand on her hip, studying Mina from head to toe with an amused look. “Well, I’m not really that credible but it’s easy to pick up the steps of ballroom when you do have a background.” She then smiles as she holds Mina’s hand again, palm to palm. “Let’s start from the top, then continue from there. Is that okay with you?”

Mina unconsciously gives a gummy smile of her own, her way of agreeing in the arrangement. However, while Jihyo guided her around the dance floor, she noticed the marks on her right wrist. It used to be faded when she first saw it but now the marks look like they’ve been drawn using a newly bought marker. She looked at Jihyo again briefly, then back to her wrist. 

Her mind can suddenly race a mile a minute. 

…

_ [Momoring.] _

_ [I NEED YOUR HELP ASAP.] _

_ {You okay Mitang?} _

_ [Are you still at school?] _

_ {About to leave, but I could see you first tho :)} _

_ [PLS DO. I’m at our usual spot] _

_ {Omw. Be there in 10} _

…

“Mitang!” Momo called for her friend, who waved back the moment she saw her. She’s a bit worried considering how urgent Mina’s texts were. She’s about to prepare herself for her date with Nayeon after the older girl finally had the guts to ask her out after their major class, but then again, the best friend comes first. Her date would understand that when she sent a few quick texts, informing her that she’ll be late for a little while.

“Momoring,” Mina greeted softly, patting the empty space so she could sit there. Momo obliged and silence followed. The older girl looked at her best friend, who seems to have trouble organizing her thoughts just by seeing her fidget with the hems of her long sleeves. She placed a hand on top of hers, rubbing it with the back of her thumb to calm her down. 

“Breathe,” Momo said with a smile. “I’m here to listen.”

Mina swallows a lump in her throat. “Momo, I...Would you tell me again about the whole soulmate thing?”

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

Momo paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts before she spoke. “Well, according to the old tale, you would know your soulmate through the marks we have on our wrists or forearms. It could be anything that symbolizes your soulmate,” She says, her eyes drifting down on her own wrist, seeing a mark of a little bunny. Warmth spreads into her chest, even as she continues to speak. “It won’t appear not until we see them. It’s faded when we haven’t formally talked to them yet. It becomes visible when we talk to them. However…”

“I know, but I think we shouldn’t say it out loud. It might ruin things for us, you know?” Mina said, letting out a shaky breath. “But I think...I think I found mine. Possibly.”

Momo perks up, getting excited all of a sudden upon hearing the news. “Come on, who is it? Is it someone I know?”

Mina blushes, rolling her long sleeve up just so she could show the mark to her friend. “I never noticed it starting to form until a few days ago.” She said. “But I did feel it getting itchy, sometimes burning, but earlier, it became more visible. Like...like…”

“Like it was drawn using a new marker?”

“Yes!” The younger girl answered almost immediately, looking at Momo whose gaze softens.

“Do I know this person?”

“You do,” Mina said in a softer tone. “Her name is Jihyo. Momoring, I think she’s my soulmate.”

“Is that why you texted me to come? So you could confirm your suspicions?”

“Yes.”

“And today is the first time you talked to Jihyo up close?”

“Yes.”

The older girl chuckles, ruffling Mina’s hair before pulling her into an embrace. “I’m happy for you, Mitang. Keep her close, okay? Get to know her more. I’m pretty sure you’ll fall in love with the little details she has.”

…

_ That evening, Mina looks over her wrist again. So far, the marks are forming some sort of a wing. She wonders what the symbol meant to Jihyo all this time. _

…

“Tzuyu, do you have a moment?” Jihyo called the youngest member of the club. They're currently at the dance studio, which Jeongyeon luckily managed to rent for the day. There's only the two of them now, and Jihyo takes the opportunity because she needed someone to talk to.

The tall dancer quietly approached her, a curious look dawning on her face as Jihyo waited for her patiently. “Everything okay, unnie?”

“Yeah, I just…” Jihyo then clears her throat. “Is it okay if you hold out your right hand?”

Tzuyu knew in an instant where the conversation was headed but she did follow the request anyway, ignoring the erratic beats of her heart as she raised her hand towards her senior. Jihyo gently touches the mark, as if she wouldn’t want to destroy it, and hums in response. She then traces the marks that formed already on her wrist, which are two rounded shapes and an inverted triangular one. Then Jihyo reveals her own, which the mark is more developed compared to Tzuyu's. 

A breath of wonder escapes Tzuyu’s lips. “Unnie, is this what I think it is?”

“Yes. And she's near me more than I thought.” Jihyo answers. “I'm terrified and excited at the same time.”

“This whole thing is pretty amazing, don't you think?” Tzuyu said, her fingertips grazing her mark and a certain someone comes into mind. “I mean, you wouldn't know who they are not until you've seen them or met them.”

“You would want to know who they are, or what their life is.” Jihyo continues, her chest filled with excitement as she speaks. “You want to know how their pretty little mind works.”

“It's also terrifying because it's uncertain what will happen, you know? Life can be pretty unforgiving to people who want to have contentment.”

Jihyo nods, her fingers toying with the ring she wears in her ring finger. “I know, Chewy. That's why we still have to guard our hearts.”

Tzuyu sighs softly. “So unnie, what do you know about your soulmate?”

The question made Jihyo remember those little details, even though they formally met once. “She’s quiet but the kind where it makes the conversation a lot easier. You don’t need to say much because she understands you. I wouldn’t say she’s shy but reserved would be the better term, and it honestly intrigues me. The complexity of her character is what caught my attention, and the way we danced the other day? God, the connection's there. It's like we've danced together for years, Tzuyu. The way everything has been put together the moment we touched hands. She understands what I'm trying to do next, and I could effortlessly guide her around. And I…” She stopped mid sentence, then she saw Tzuyu grinning at her like she won the lottery. 

“Looks like you got yourself a character there, huh Ji Hyo-unnie?” The younger girl said cheekily.

Jihyo could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. “Shut up,” She mumbles, crossing her arms to prevent herself from getting embarrassed even further.

“It's okay to admire your soulmate, unnie.”

“What about you then? Considering your mark is visible, tell me about yours. Just to make it even.”

Tzuyu lets out a cough. “I...uh...uhm…” The younger girl struggles to formulate her thoughts, which earned a laugh from Jihyo but it’s not surprising either.

“Speak from the heart,” Jihyo taps the left side of Tzuyu's chest, giving her an encouraging smile afterwards.

“Speak from the heart,” Tzuyu repeats, a mantra that's meant for the both of them. Though they talked briefly due to busy schedules outside of practice, they have these heart to heart conversations in moments where they needed it the most. 

“Her name's Chaeyoung.” She said, after gathering a moment's worth of courage.

“Ah, the little cub.” Jihyo muses, gesturing for the younger girl to sit beside her on the waxed floor to which the other girl obliged. “Tell me about her.”

Tzuyu recalls their first meeting. “She's one of the spunkiest people I have ever met. I thought she was a popular kid, considering how she greeted everyone in our literature class. Turns out she's just really friendly and when she approached me, she said a lot of things in Korean so fast that I zoned out,” She shares, smiling at the thought. “Chae realized immediately that I'm the transfer student everyone talks about. Even if it's a bit broken, she greeted and talked to me in Chinese just to break the barrier.”

“I like her already.”

“Me too, especially when we've gotten closer,” Tzuyu admits. “She listens to me and never judged me despite making questionable life decisions in the past. She’s just there, you know? Through the good and the bad I’ve experienced so far. She’s the first one I talk to in the morning and the last who I say good night. I...I just feel her.”

“Have you talked about it yet? Your feelings for her?”

Tzuyu lightly scratches her mark. “I haven’t. Like I said earlier, I don’t know what will happen if she doesn’t feel the same way.”

It happened to Jeongyeon. Only the members of the club knew about it because she never wanted to talk about it ever again. While the rest, including Jeongyeon, considered it as a breakup, Jihyo and Nayeon are the only ones who see it as a rough patch between them. It’s been months since she and Sana had a big fight that resulted into not talking to each other. The two are pretty much each other’s soulmate, but they failed to maintain their connection due to personal issues that caused them to fall apart. 

What people never mention about the whole thing is the consequence when things went wrong. It’s the longing a person would feel when their soulmate decided to cut off their connection between them. Like walking through the day with a gaping hole in their chest. Some severe cases ended up with one dying from a broken heart,  _ literally _ . It’s what Tzuyu is afraid of, and Jihyo understands that.

All she could offer is a chocolate bar and a hand for Tzuyu to hold in this comfortable silence.

…

_ Jihyo takes a deep breath, her hands resting on her knees as if it were something that needs to be taken care of. It’s a tiring day, as always. But she noticed her body's tired than usual. Looking over her mark again, she hopes she draws strength from it. _

…

Mina noticed something different. 

For the past few weeks she spent practicing with Jihyo, she felt something tugging in her heart. Sometimes good, but what’s bothering her is how constant the heavy feeling clouds her chest. She brushed it off as Jihyo played their usual song, still doing slow waltz despite learning at least 5 different dances in a short amount of time. After finishing their newly made up routine, Jihyo goes back to her phone and picks a different song this time. It’s the same upbeat song Mina heard from one of the times she watched Jihyo from afar.

“It’s quickstep,” Jihyo informs her. “Care to dance to it again?”

Mina giggles. “It’s not the first time we struggled in that one but I’d love to.”

They both quickly get into position, the classic ballroom holds, and Jihyo waits for a moment, tapping Mina’s back lightly to get them into rhythm. When she finally got the right timing, Jihyo then effortlessly guided her lady around the dance floor with smiles on their faces, almost singing along to their cues in time with the music. Even if quickstep itself is one of the most tiring dances, the two managed to complete some of the most complex steps whilst maintaining their hold, a challenge tackled by most beginner ballroom dancers. In contrast to Latin, where they could improvise their way until the music stops, Standard is keen to details. One wrong move could potentially ruin the entire routine.

“We’re about to make the pivot here,” Mina informed her in a hushed tone, trying to catch her breath to keep up with the pace. Jihyo didn’t reply like she used to when they talk about their next step, instead she grunts the moment the turn corresponds to the beat. It’s a successful turn, much to her excitement as they continued.

But for a split second, she felt Jihyo loosening her hold before going back to normal. 

Then she stops.

“Let’s take a quick break.” Jihyo mumbles before letting go of Mina, heading towards the speakers and knelt down. 

Mina stared at her partner before deciding to take a break as well. Sitting on the floor near the speakers, she noticed how Jihyo kneels a little bit differently, leaning more towards her right rather than distributing her weight evenly. It’s as if she’s trying not to stress her left knee by the looks of it. 

“Are you alright?” Mina asks quietly, approaching Jihyo as slowly as she can. “You should center yourself when you kneel, it might stress your knees.”

“I’m fine,” The tone came out harsh from Jihyo, and Mina flinched a little bit. “Just...tired. That’s all.” Jihyo then dust the dirt from her leggings, and something caught Mina’s eye in that certain moment. 

_ Scars.  _ Recalling her father’s line of work and the pictures he shows to her in their weekly Skype calls, she couldn’t deny the fact that those are surgical scars. The skin used to be cut cleanly with a scalpel, now healed and formed white lines around her knee caps. It makes sense. Jihyo hesitates with the turns, the way she leans more on her right rather than her left when standing, how she walks more slowly compared to her…

Jihyo’s still traumatized from her injury.

She heard from Nayeon about Jihyo’s background. Before Tzuyu became a part of the club, Jihyo and Dahyun used to be the top Latin dancers in the country, taking home a trophy after trophy. They even reached 3rd in the World Latin Dance Champions, but after that, Jihyo never came back to Latin. Instead, she opted for Standard. However, Mina never got the full glimpse of the story. Not until now.

“Jihyo-yah…” She called her partner, finally understanding the burden she feels in her chest. “Will you be honest with me?”

The other girl shakes her head. “I know that you saw. We will not have this conversation now, Mina.”

She swallowed a lump in her throat, fear rising in her chest. “Please—”

“Nothing can make this knee useful again, alright? Neither does my dream of going back to the big stage.” Jihyo said rather harshly, turning off the studio speakers and quickly getting her phone. “If you have nothing else to say, then we’ll conclude our practice for today. I’ll call you whenever.”

Jihyo walks away from Mina, not even once turning back just to look at her. Her feet almost stomped, maybe out of frustration, and Mina left all alone in the gym, wondering and hurting. 

On the next day of their supposed meet up, Jihyo didn’t show up. And then the next. And for the third time in a row. It became a constant, not seeing her on their usual schedule. She knew deep in her heart where she is and she could go to her, but she cannot ignore the fact that they share the same pain. It gets intense with every night that passes. The consequence of having a close bond with your soulmate: they share those kinds of emotions, and it’s frustrating Mina couldn’t do anything about it.

But Mina couldn’t deny she missed her deeply. 

…

_ It’s all over now, nothing left to say _

_ Just the tears and the orchestra playing _

…

The three of them seated next to each other, quietly eating their lunch but the mood is definitely a downer. Neither of them said a word. Momo glumly stares at her jokbal, Chaeyoung isn’t her usual bubbly self, and Mina barely touches her food. They never said it out loud, but they knew they were going through the same thing.

Jeongyeon sits across them, placing her food tray in front of them as if she’s not bothered at all. Though she did glance at them whenever she felt the need to, and she couldn’t help but give them a sympathetic look. “I know how it feels,” She said quietly before taking a mouthful of her spinach. “The feeling of life was sucked out of you.”

The three of them were still, but Jeongyeon knew they were listening. So she continued. “I still am and it sucks. But the first few days were awful, and you literally have to force yourself to survive while your mind wanders to the empty feeling in your chest.” She said, meeting three pairs of eyes on her. “Having a soulmate is all fun and games until you unknowingly discovered the darkest secrets they never dared to show you.”

Jeongyeon has this wistful smile on her face, her mind drifting off to  _ that _ day. “It’s the most difficult thing to overcome, you know? Especially if your soulmate purposely pushes you away. The urge to cut things off is the strongest at that very moment, and if they decide that they should, it’s literally going to be painful. You feel nothing but hurt.” She paused, trying to keep those sobs in. Her thoughts went back to Sana, on the days they were at their happiest. But it’s the reality she has to accept.

“Can you still bring it back?” Chaeyoung is the first to speak up. Jeongyeon sees that sparkle of hope in her eyes. 

“I...I haven’t tried.” She answers. “I hear it’s twice the amount of work if you want to reconnect. But it must be an effort between two people, not just one.”

“But what happens to the mark?” This time, Momo asked next.

Looking over the half moon on her wrist, Jeongyeon studied its features again. It’s still visible contrary to the popular belief that it’ll fade after losing the connection. “It’s still there, but it’s not going to be a pretty picture.”

The older girl showed it to them, their eyes wide in shock and she quickly retreated her wrist, hiding it beneath her long sleeves. “It becomes like that.”

Black scratches were all over the mark that represents Sana, and whenever Jeongyeon looks at it, it’s a painful reminder of what went wrong. “Yeah...she’s trying to erase me from everything. I could feel it burning whenever she removes a part of me from her. Our stuff, the pictures, memories we created...everything.”

“You have to talk to them.” Jeongyeon quietly pleads. “Do it not only for me, but for you as well. I don’t want you to end up like me. No one deserves this lifetime sentence.”

Mina holds Jeongyeon’s hand. She noticed that Mina’s mark is nearly complete and one little detail is only missing. To her, it made sense why out of all the symbols, Mina got  _ that _ one in particular. She knew what it meant.

“It’s okay, Jeongyeon.” Mina said, offering a comforting smile that the older girl hasn’t seen for the longest time. “ Let it all out. We’re the only witnesses here.”

For the first time in months, Jeongyeon cried. 

…

_ Two lonely people together _

_ I fell in love with you _

_ The last waltz should last forever _

…

Today’s suspiciously a good day.

Nothing special happened, really. Mina felt like the day’s going smoothly compared to the previous days. The heavy feeling in her chest is there, but it’s not as intense unlike before. She took it as a good sign, and nothing can convince her otherwise. She passed her last exam in her major class, which has a ridiculous requirement and it’s to pass 8 exams for the entire semester. They fail one, they’ll have a straight trip to finals week where the coverage of the exam is all of the lessons. Having numerous all-nighters was worth it, and she can kiss Biology 102 goodbye and never have that class again for the rest of her undergraduate years. Without anything to do as her last class dismissed early after throwing a farewell party, she decided to roam around the campus again.

Nostalgic as it seems, she remembers how roaming around meant finding Jihyo in the midst of it. She smiled at the thought, mindlessly taking a turn from the huge building that is the biology department. Despite the advancement of science, her department built a mini garden behind their building so their students could take a break from their studies and admire the view. It’s a gift from the faculty for appreciating the discipline considering they have an increase in their students over the years.

She enters the garden, hating herself for almost identifying the plant species she encounters. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop her from admiring the garden itself. Although it’s looking more of a jungle because they let everything grow here, its beauty never left. The garden is also home to the Juliet Rose, a rare yet expensive rose that the department managed to grow after acquiring a bouquet and taking care of it in this garden.

Mina wanted to see it again, seeing the trail of the apricot-colored roses in the pathway she’s in. She followed the roses, letting her fingertips lightly touch its petals as her eyes roamed around the place. As the roses start to grow in numbers along the pathway, it’s a sign she’s close to the sanctuary. 

From what’s supposed to be ground made of stone, it’s been replaced by the soft ground. Her shoes made a distinct sound upon contact, and therefore, the way to the sanctuary. It’s a small place, but it’s big enough to accompany a few people visiting. A “field” of flowers covered most of the sanctuary, arranged in a circular manner and at the end of it, a wishing well and a wooden bench for visitors to take a seat. 

But she stopped. She felt her heart beating rapidly against her ribcage the moment her eyes landed by the wishing well.

_ Jihyo. _

She approached the figure, standing so still and never dared to move. It turns out her eyes are closed, lips moving as if she were reciting a prayer, and hands clasped together, holding it at the center of her chest. Even at her most vulnerable, Mina still finds Jihyo the most beautiful amongst all the roses she has seen. It was only when she snapped out of her trance that Jihyo was looking back at her too.

“Minari.” God, even how her name rolls off her tongue still makes her feel a lot of things.

“Jihyo.” Mina said softly.

“I’m sorry about what happened before.” The other girl said, looking at her feet out of embarrassment.

Mina shakes her head. “I asked at an inappropriate time. I’m the one who should apologize.”

“Trust me, you asked at the right time.” Jihyo took a deep breath, shyly reaching out for Mina’s hand, which she took the hint and laced their pinkies together. “I’ve been running away from it for so long. Maybe I got caught off guard, that’s why I reacted that way.”

“You’re more than just your injury, Jihyo-yah.” Mina tells her. “You and I know that. Everyone knows that.”

The dancer shakes her head. “But not my mind. I couldn’t handle the process of going through the injury ever again.”

“If it helps, I do have something to share.” Mina then carefully removed her right shoe and rolled the sleeves of her pants, revealing a surgical scar of her own. 

Jihyo gasps at the sight of it, crouching so she could see it more clearly. The scar itself is pretty huge, running about five inches long. “How did you get it?”

“Bad accident. I was about to celebrate my eleven years of ballet so I quickly rode my bike to go back home, but a car hit me head on.” Mina shuddered at the thought of it. It wasn’t a good memory. “My right ankle took most of the hit, resulting in multiple mini broken bones surrounding it. I did come back after therapy, but I suffered from chronic ankle instability.”

Jihyo then meets her eyes once again before Mina continues. “Giving up ballet was the most painful decision I have ever made. I stayed away from all dance related activities, not until I saw you.”

The Japanese girl then wears her shoe again, touching the scar before getting up. She looked at Jihyo with determination. “Dance with me,” She requested.

“What?”

“Dance with me.” Mina repeated. “But you have to promise me to close your eyes.”

“I can’t do that. I’m the lead. I’m the one who’s supposed to guide you.”

Mina reaches for her partner’s hand, placing it in a palm to palm position like they always do during practice. It became so natural that their bodies connected with no hesitation at all. “Then guide me with your heart, until the both of us are tired.” She said, using her free hand to gently go over Jihyo’s eyes and close them, like rose petals touching her face.

Darkness engulfed her vision, trusting Mina’s word. With a breath to spare, Jihyo initiated the beginning of their dance. Slow waltz has been their personal favorite, and for her, it’s the most emotionally intimate dance. She knew, and Mina knew, they’re about to make a turn in this field of roses. Jihyo recited Mina’s words in her head.

_ Guide me with your heart. _

Jihyo lets herself relax as she guides Mina, eyes still closed. Even if their routine is completely improvised, the other knew what step would be next.  _ That’s because you're soulmates.  _ Her conscience told her. 

Without music, they danced wonderfully together. Then Jihyo opened her eyes, just to see Mina make eye contact with her as if she knew when. After completing a step, they paused for a moment, enjoying looking at each other’s eyes. 

They simultaneously looked at their wrists while in their ballroom hold, seeing their marks glow in this enclosed space. A ballerina on Jihyo’s, representing half of Mina’s life before they met. A sparrow on Mina's hard work, courage, diligence and caution, Jihyo’s traits. 

They inched their faces closer, noses brushing and lips almost touching. They accepted one another as each other’s soulmate. Just as how the tale predicted in its century old text: the acceptance of their soulmate in their lives.

It started with a dance, and it ended with a dance.

…

_ “Chaeyoung, hold my hand!” _

_ “Are you sure?” _

_ She’s met with a smile. “For as long as you’re with me, I’m ready to show you to the rest of the world.” _

…

_ “We’ll be okay, right?” _

_ “We talked about this numerous times, Nayeon. I can assure a hundred percent that we’ll be fine.” _

_ “I’ll miss you, you know.” _

_ “Don’t cry. We’ll call each other often, okay? I promise to update often while I’m away.” _

…

_ “Jeongyeon?” _

_ “H-Hey. Long time.” _

_ “Yeah. How are you?” _

_ Silence. _

_ “Oh shit. Right. That was insensitive. I’m sor—” _

_ She was greeted with an embrace. “I missed you. So, so much.” _

_ A soft chuckle. “Me too, Jeongyeonie. I’m sorry. For everything.” _

...

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to my good friend @nohyomo for a lot of things. The encouragement and suggestions to improve the story overall, which leads to this little beauty. Honestly, I'm surprised this reached almost 9k words. Again, I do hope you enjoyed this one. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Be kind to others and most importantly, to yourself. Have a great day! :)


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